News List

Feb. 15, 2013Here is the latest edition of Week In Review - a series of weekly messages from the Mayor and City Council to help Richardson residents and businesses keep up to date on events at City Hall.

Le Freak to Perform at Wildflower!
Disco band Le Freak will perform at this year’s Wildflower! Richardson’s Arts & Music Festival, set for May 17-19 at Galatyn Park. They will play for the seventh annual Friday night street dance on May 17.

Festival organizers made the announcement on Wednesday morning on the Wildflower! Facebook page. Fans of the Wildflower! Facebook page will be the first to know about additional performer announcements as they are posted to the site in the coming weeks.

The information will also be included on the Festival’s website, the City’s homepage, and the Richardson Today Facebook and Twitter feeds.

City to Hold Cultural Arts Master Plan Public Meeting
The City of Richardson Arts Commission will host a public meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, in the Richardson Room at City Hall to gather input on the community’s first-ever Cultural Arts Master Plan. The draft plan, which has been in the works since 2011, was developed by the Richardson Arts Commission and consultant Lord Cultural Resources.

The Cultural Arts Master Plan has been developed to strengthen the arts community in Richardson by building synergies among the various performance arts groups and enhancing the existing arts facilities in the area. The draft is available to view on the City’s website at www.cor.net/CAMP.

The presentation will include an overview of six priorities identified in the draft. The Richardson Arts Commission will gather feedback at the public meeting and use it to finalize the Master Plan, which is expected to be presented to the City Council in April.

The event is open to the public. RSVP is requested by Monday, Feb. 18, by calling 972-744-4209 or e-mailing kimberly.sheldon@cor.gov.

City Honors Revitalization Award Winners
The Richardson City Council on Monday recognized five residential and three commercial property owners with this year’s annual Community Revitalization Awards.

The program recognizes owners’ efforts to enhance the community by making significant investments and exterior enhancements to their properties. The Council created the awards in 1994 to encourage citizens to help make a positive impact on their own properties as well as those in the surrounding area. Below are the winners:

Swanson residence

Wallace residence

Kirk residence

Guinn residence

Kazmann residence

QuikTrip

Jack in the Box

Govindji's Jewelry

Swanson Residence - With the assistance of Fairview Custom Homes, the Swanson family’s remodel of this Canyon Creek home is highlighted by the addition of an expanded second story with a standing seam metal roof, a projecting arched front porch with decorative columns and trim, rebuilt stone retaining walls with brick sidewalk pavers and extensive new landscaping.

Wallace Residence - The conversion of this Canyon Creek ranch-style home to craftsman-style was completed in early 2012. Highlights of the remodel include a prominent front entryway that features duel tapered columns and a pronounced roofline, wide overhanging eaves with decorative bracketing, an addition of a second story with new windows, and extensive new landscaping.

Kirk Residence - Designed by Fairview Custom Homes, the construction of this new Canyon Creek home features a brick and stone façade with stained cedar shutters, decorative bracketing, an arched recessed front door, and new landscaping that maintained the mature trees.

Guinn Residence - Remodeled by 3rd Street Custom Home Builders, then subsequently purchased by the Guinn Family, this redesigned craftsman-style inspired home features a prominent covered front porch highlighted with tapered columns, a low-pitched roof line with decorative bracketing, clear-story windows, and new landscaping.

QuikTrip - With more than 600 stores in operation, QuikTrip opened its first store in Richardson in 2012. Acquiring the entirety of the northeast corner of Inge and Belt Line roads, QuikTrip replaced a dilapidated, vacant, automotive brake facility and two outdated multi-tenant retail buildings with extensive new landscaping along three streets and the development of their third generation store design.

Jack in the Box - Replacing a portion of an aging multi-tenant retail center and the location of a previously demolished restaurant, Jack in the Box developed their latest restaurant concept. Featuring a modern building design with decorative wall fixtures, and lighted canopies, this development has helped to reenergize the Northrich shopping corridor.

Govindji’s Jewelry - Expanding from a small 2,000 square foot space in 1985, Govindji’s Jewelry embarked on a significant remodeling program for their existing flagship store along Central Expressway. Occupying the entirety of a two-story, 12,000 square foot retail building, the former brick and concrete building has been replaced with a classical building design featuring a cast stone and brushed metal façade with a large arched entryway, large fabric panel awnings, and up-lighting within the sidewalks. This has certainly raised the bar for redevelopment along Central Expressway.

Since its inception, Richardson’s Community Revitalization Awards program has recognized 184 properties upgraded in the community. A photo and information on each property that received an award Monday night will be included in the March issue of the Richardson Today City newsletter.

Nominations are already being accepted for the 2013 awards. For more information, contact Israel Roberts at 972-744-4256 or israel.roberts@cor.gov.

RISD Council of PTAs Used Book Fair
The RISD Council of PTAs is holding a Used Book Fair from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday at the Dal-Rich Shopping Center on the corner of Belt Line and Coit roads. Books, CDs and DVDs will be for sale, with prices starting at 25 cents. Proceeds will benefit the Dr. J.J. Pearce Memorial Scholarship Fund, the RISD Council of PTAs and the local PTAs. For more information, visit www.risdpta.org.

Gregg Edelman’s "Broadway Love Songs" at Eisemann Center
Gregg Edelman will perform “Broadway Love Songs” in a cabaret-style show at 7 and 9:30 p.m. tonight. Limited seating will be available at tables directly in front of the performers for $38 per ticket or in fixed seating for $30. A bar will be in the venue for beverages and small snacks. The show will not have an intermission.

Richardson Symphony Orchestra to Perform at Eisemann Center
The Richardson Symphony Orchestra will perform with Cherish the Ladies, a traditional Irish folk band, at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, at the Eisemann Center. Each couple in attendance will receive a rose and box of Russell Stover chocolates.

Richardson Animal Shelter Pet of the Week
Victoria is a domestic long hair. She is seven months old, has her basic vaccinations and was originally found as a stray. Contact the Animal Shelter (972-744-4480) about Victoria or other animals available for adoption.